In response to laws forbidding discrimination against same-sex couples who wish to serve as foster parents and adopt children in Washington, D.C., Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington has ended the foster care and adoption program it has operated in the nations capital for more than eight decades.

Laura Wright of the Catholic News Services reported on the archdioceses decision in a Feb. 22 article:

The program  which covered 43 children and their biological families, 35 foster families and seven staff members  was transferred to the National Center for Children and Families Feb. 1.

Under a new law allowing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia, Catholic Charities would have been required to place children with same-sex parents for foster care and adoption, which would violate church teaching that marriage is a permanent union between one man and one woman.

Catholic Charities has been providing foster care in one form or another for decades. ... To transition this to another agency certainly was a real loss for us, said Edward Orzechowski, president and CEO of Catholic Charities.

Labels: same-sex couples

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The Arizona state legislature is considering a bill that would give married couples priority in adoptions.
A Feb. 23 article by Alia Beard Rau of the Arizona Republic provided the following details on the bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Warde Nichols, a Republican who represents the town of Gilbert:

Unmarried adults could still be considered for adoption when they are related to or already have a relationship with the child, or if there is not a married couple available. The best interests of the child would remain the determining factor in choosing adoptive parents.

"We're not going to be leaving children in the system because we're waiting for a married couple. That's not the intent of the bill," said Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy. The non-profit group lobbies for conservative family issues, and it is backing the bill. "It simply says, all things being equal, a child deserves a chance to have a mom and a dad."

From April through September 2009, there were 892 state adoptions, 266 of which involved single people. ...

Kris Jacober, the president of Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents, told the Republic that passing the bill would establish "one more barrier to people trying to decide whether or not to even get started. And when you limit the pool, you limit the options for children."

Labels: adoption laws, same-sex couples, single_parenting

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In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last month, adoption agencies have been flooded with calls from people wanting to adopt orphaned kids. Angelina Jolie, normally a vocal advocate for adoption, is asking people to wait.

"An emergency is not the time for new adoptions in any way," Jolie said in a Feb. 14 interview with Christiane Amanpour of CNN. "Child trafficking has been a huge problem for a very long time. Everybody that means well needs to really take that very seriously."

Jolie and husband Brad Pitt were rumored to be considering adoption of a Haitian child prior to the earthquake. Both denied the rumor, and Jolie is now urging people interested in adopting Haitian children to exercise caution and patience.

Labels: haiti

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Mia Farrow, who serves a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, has spoken out against illegal adoptions that have occurred in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

A Feb. 4 Associated Press highlighted Farrow's criticisms:

The U.S. actress says groups or individuals who want to help Haiti's children should rather support orphanages or their families inside the country.

Farrow, who herself has adopted 11 children, says offering parents a better life for their children elsewhere is "completely unacceptable and immoral."

Adoption practices in Haiti are in the spotlight since a group of American missionaries was caught trying to smuggle Haitian children out of the country in the wake of the Jan. 12 quake.

Labels: international, haiti, illegal adoptions

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A bill that State Sen. Joe Zakas introduced into the Indiana General Assembly is designed to strengthen the state's existing adoption laws, the senator said.

According to a Feb. 9 article by Kevin Allen of the South Bend Tribune, the bill passed the Senate by a 49-1 vote:

The Granger Republican's bill would bar people from adopting if they have been convicted of certain "attempted" felonies and clarify the state's rules for when and where a man can file a paternity action to contest an adoption. ...

"The whole aim is to provide certainty in the adoption process, which ultimately is in the best interest of the child involved," he said.

Indiana already prohibits people convicted of serious violent felonies from adopting children. SB 140 would also bar people convicted of attempting those felonies.

State law also allows a man to challenge an adoption if he is the child's father. SB 140 would provide a clearer, narrower path for men to file those paternity actions.

Labels: adoption laws

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In a Feb. 1 post on the Psychology Today blog, Ugo Uche -- a counselor with expertise in adolescent issues -- described two "golden rules" that can help parents provide a healthier and more supportive environment for their adopted teens:

While most teenagers go through a period of crisis, highlighted by identity formation; for adopted teenagers, the process presents with significantly higher complications. &

There are two golden rules to parenting a child, biological or adopted, and I have noticed that parents who are more consistent with adhering to these rules, on average have children with a healthier sense of identities.

These two rules are unconditional acceptance of self and unconditional acceptance of your child.

Labels: teens, parenting advice, acceptance

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Surrogacy and adoption have long been common avenues for growing a family. But two couples from Texas have given this approach a unique spin by keeping the process within one biological family.

Scott Gordon reported on this unique adoption story in a Feb. 5 article on NBCChicago.com:

In a unique case mixing adoption and a kind of surrogacy, a Fort Worth couple agreed to give their newborn son to their siblings, a couple unable to have children themselves. ...

That's right: Christopher Ryan Smith, who was born Tuesday at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth, will be staying in the family even as he is adopted by new parents.

His biological mother is his adoptive father's sister. His biological father is his adoptive mother's brother. ...

The adopting couple had tried for years. We just kind of gave up hope, said Amy Smith. This is all weve wanted is to have a baby of our own.

Hes definitely a gift, and were going to cherish him, said Amys husband, Ryan.

Labels: biological_parents, biological_children

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The devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti has prompted many good-hearted people to inquire about adopting children who were orphaned in the disaster. It also left many adoptions in limbo, as the Haitian government tried to sort itself out.

On Feb. 1, MSNBC ran a special feature aimed at addressing some of the more common concerns, such as the following question:

Are there any new adoptions being started for children who were already orphaned or children newly orphaned in Haiti?

Reputable adoption agencies would tell you that neither the State Department nor Haitis government are considering new adoption applications at this time. Their primary concern is the safety of children who may have been separated from surviving relatives and need time to be reunited with extended family.

Only adoptions that were already in process will be completed. Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Haitian government has publicly speculated about when new adoptions can be initiated.

Labels: international, haiti

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A New Mexico legislative committee has passed a measure that would give unmarried couples the right to adopt. The Public Affairs panel passed the measure with a 5  4 vote.

"Despite a 54 vote by the Public Affairs panel, the measure must still pass the Judiciary Committee and a recommendation was made that it be heard by yet another committee," the Alamogordo (NM) Daily News reported. "The Senate gallery was packed and dozens of people on both sides of the issue jockeyed for seats on the floor to present their arguments to the committee members."

Most lawmakers agree that the bill has a good chance of passing the House, but will have trouble in the Senate. No date is set for the next round of voting.

Labels: domestic partners, unmarried couples

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